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Mall takes a step back, changes hours for walkers

Doors won't open to walkers until 9 a.m., management says

Mall-walkers, from left, Irene Martin, Peggy Henderson and Virginia Newman, walk inside Blue Ridge Mall Friday morning. The mall used to open at 7 a.m. for walkers, but now opens at 9 a.m. due to safety concerns.

MIKE DIRKS/TIMES-NEWS

By CAITLIN BYRDTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Saturday, February 22, 2014 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 21, 2014 at 6:39 p.m.

A sign on the door says stores won't open for another hour, but the lights and music are already on Thursday as Bill McDaniel begins his first lap at Blue Ridge Mall.

As the 81-year-old rounds a corner, he says good morning to fellow walkers and jokes that he's the "mayor of the mall." McDaniel has walked the carpeted floors for 10 years, and was surprised recently to learn he would have to modify his decade-long routine.

Hull Storey Gibson Companies, which owns and manages the Blue Ridge Mall, has changed its policy regarding how early it opens its shopping malls to walkers and other patrons.

In the past, walkers like McDaniel could arrive at 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday (stores open at 10 a.m.). Now walkers must wait two hours to get their blood pumping.

"It's really messed up a lot of people's days," McDaniel said. "We'd come walk at 7 or 8 a.m., and there was never any problem. I don't know why management just decided all of this."

The decision has been discussed for more than a year, said Coles Hull, marketing manager for Hull Storey Gibson.

"It wasn't a decision that we made on a whim. The new mall-walker hours were established to ensure that the mall is fully operational and properly staffed when patrons are on the premises," she said.

The company decision was not unique to the Blue Ridge Mall. Hull said the decision affects the company's 21 mall properties in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Florida.

However, it was hardly a popular move. The company received a petition from local mall-walkers who oppose the new policy. Though an exact number of signatures was not available at press time, walkers estimate the petition had more than 70 signatures.

McDaniel was one of the people who signed it. Thomas Williams, of Flat Rock, was another. Walker drives a school bus for Upward Elementary in the mornings, and said the new hours make a morning walk nearly impossible for him.

"My routine is shot," said Williams, who also does volunteer work for the Henderson County Sherif's Office in his spare time. "By 9 a.m., I'm doing something else."

He continued, "To go from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. — I just don't know. In my personal opinion, I think they could have met us halfway."

Hull said meeting halfway wasn't an ideal solution. In the past, she said, two different mall-walkers were opening the building, and there was a concern that adequate staff were not on hand.

"We did get petitions from several properties," Hull said. "But we had to look at different things like, what time do we need to be open to allow people to prepare for the day? What time do our store tenants come in? What time do they need to be in the mall to prepare their store? We found that was about one hour before stores opened."

For walkers like Jane Myers, getting a few miles in at the mall before 9 a.m. was the most ideal way to stay active.

"If I have a doctor's appointment or something, it's in the afternoon. I like to walk in the morning because I can get it over with and still have time to clean up," she said. "And when my husband was alive, we used to walk together everywhere. When he had melanoma, we would come here and walk because there were plenty of benches where he could sit down if he needed to."

As Myers stood next to two of her friends, she said there's also a social piece to her health routine.

"My friends who worked, they would come walk and then they went to work," she said. "Now, they can't do it."

Sarah Hinson, store manager of Pardee Signature Care Center in the mall, said the social benefits of mall-walking can impact the health benefits.

"When someone starts a physical activity program, it is often beneficial to have an accountability partner to help encourage consistency and perseverance. When joining a walking group or other activity group, individuals are able to socialize and have a sense of community," Hinson said.

Peggy Henderson, who walks with a group of friends regularly, said that in the summertime she enjoys walking at parks around town. However, when it's raining or snowing, or when it's too hot or too cold, she said the mall is "the place to be."

Hinson said there are not many free, indoor, climate-controlled facilities like the mall. But for many walkers, the concern is a disrupted schedule. Though many walkers said they were not pleased with the new policy, Hinson said there's an opportunity to embrace change.

"With any lifestyle change, adjustment is often necessary. Some individuals respond well to change, and others have a difficult time adjusting to new patterns," Hinson said, adding, "Changes in times and schedules often make people realize the importance of their healthy habits, and as a result they have to change their routine in order to accommodate their physical activity."

Hull said the company realizes the new policy will likely disrupt walkers' routines, but emphasized the mall's new morning schedule does not mean the end of walking during other times of the day.

"We are open 12 hours a day for walking, shopping and dining, Monday through Saturday, so that still does allow for exercise, and 12 hours is lengthy stretch of time," she said. "We do understand that habits are difficult to change, especially if it's something a person has done for so long. But it's for the safety of everyone involved."

For Betty Lyons, who has walked at the mall since 1995, it doesn't feel that way.

"It used to feel like they wanted the mall-walkers here, but now it feels like they don't want us here at all," she said.

Hull said a change to the policy is not likely.

"We've analyzed this from all different angles, and the decision is something that we are standing by and we are going to work to uphold," she said. "I do not see it changing in the foreseeable future."

Reach Byrd at caitlin.byrd@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7881.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Thomas Williams as Thomas Walker.

<p>A sign on the door says stores won't open for another hour, but the lights and music are already on Thursday as Bill McDaniel begins his first lap at Blue Ridge Mall.</p><p>As the 81-year-old rounds a corner, he says good morning to fellow walkers and jokes that he's the "mayor of the mall." McDaniel has walked the carpeted floors for 10 years, and was surprised recently to learn he would have to modify his decade-long routine.</p><p>Hull Storey Gibson Companies, which owns and manages the Blue Ridge Mall, has changed its policy regarding how early it opens its shopping malls to walkers and other patrons.</p><p>In the past, walkers like McDaniel could arrive at 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday (stores open at 10 a.m.). Now walkers must wait two hours to get their blood pumping.</p><p>"It's really messed up a lot of people's days," McDaniel said. "We'd come walk at 7 or 8 a.m., and there was never any problem. I don't know why management just decided all of this."</p><p>The decision has been discussed for more than a year, said Coles Hull, marketing manager for Hull Storey Gibson.</p><p>"It wasn't a decision that we made on a whim. The new mall-walker hours were established to ensure that the mall is fully operational and properly staffed when patrons are on the premises," she said. </p><p>The company decision was not unique to the Blue Ridge Mall. Hull said the decision affects the company's 21 mall properties in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Florida. </p><p>However, it was hardly a popular move. The company received a petition from local mall-walkers who oppose the new policy. Though an exact number of signatures was not available at press time, walkers estimate the petition had more than 70 signatures.</p><p>McDaniel was one of the people who signed it. Thomas Williams, of Flat Rock, was another. Walker drives a school bus for Upward Elementary in the mornings, and said the new hours make a morning walk nearly impossible for him.</p><p>"My routine is shot," said Williams, who also does volunteer work for the Henderson County Sherif's Office in his spare time. "By 9 a.m., I'm doing something else." </p><p>He continued, "To go from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. — I just don't know. In my personal opinion, I think they could have met us halfway."</p><p>Hull said meeting halfway wasn't an ideal solution. In the past, she said, two different mall-walkers were opening the building, and there was a concern that adequate staff were not on hand. </p><p>"We did get petitions from several properties," Hull said. "But we had to look at different things like, what time do we need to be open to allow people to prepare for the day? What time do our store tenants come in? What time do they need to be in the mall to prepare their store? We found that was about one hour before stores opened."</p><p>For walkers like Jane Myers, getting a few miles in at the mall before 9 a.m. was the most ideal way to stay active.</p><p>"If I have a doctor's appointment or something, it's in the afternoon. I like to walk in the morning because I can get it over with and still have time to clean up," she said. "And when my husband was alive, we used to walk together everywhere. When he had melanoma, we would come here and walk because there were plenty of benches where he could sit down if he needed to."</p><p>As Myers stood next to two of her friends, she said there's also a social piece to her health routine. </p><p>"My friends who worked, they would come walk and then they went to work," she said. "Now, they can't do it."</p><p>Sarah Hinson, store manager of Pardee Signature Care Center in the mall, said the social benefits of mall-walking can impact the health benefits.</p><p>"When someone starts a physical activity program, it is often beneficial to have an accountability partner to help encourage consistency and perseverance. When joining a walking group or other activity group, individuals are able to socialize and have a sense of community," Hinson said. </p><p>Peggy Henderson, who walks with a group of friends regularly, said that in the summertime she enjoys walking at parks around town. However, when it's raining or snowing, or when it's too hot or too cold, she said the mall is "the place to be."</p><p>Hinson said there are not many free, indoor, climate-controlled facilities like the mall. But for many walkers, the concern is a disrupted schedule. Though many walkers said they were not pleased with the new policy, Hinson said there's an opportunity to embrace change.</p><p>"With any lifestyle change, adjustment is often necessary. Some individuals respond well to change, and others have a difficult time adjusting to new patterns," Hinson said, adding, "Changes in times and schedules often make people realize the importance of their healthy habits, and as a result they have to change their routine in order to accommodate their physical activity."</p><p>Hull said the company realizes the new policy will likely disrupt walkers' routines, but emphasized the mall's new morning schedule does not mean the end of walking during other times of the day.</p><p>"We are open 12 hours a day for walking, shopping and dining, Monday through Saturday, so that still does allow for exercise, and 12 hours is lengthy stretch of time," she said. "We do understand that habits are difficult to change, especially if it's something a person has done for so long. But it's for the safety of everyone involved."</p><p>For Betty Lyons, who has walked at the mall since 1995, it doesn't feel that way. </p><p>"It used to feel like they wanted the mall-walkers here, but now it feels like they don't want us here at all," she said.</p><p>Hull said a change to the policy is not likely.</p><p>"We've analyzed this from all different angles, and the decision is something that we are standing by and we are going to work to uphold," she said. "I do not see it changing in the foreseeable future."</p><p>Reach Byrd at caitlin.byrd@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7881.</p><p><i>An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Thomas Williams as Thomas Walker.</i></p>